Wyoming Wins Battle Over Lodging Tax

Online travel companies should remit sales and lodging tax on the full booking price of hotel rooms, The Wyoming Supreme Court ruled Thursday. According to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, the ruling affirms a decision by State Board of Equalization in March 2013. That had been opposed by attorney Larry Wolfe, who represented seven online travel companies: Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline, Hotwire, Orbitz, CheapTickets, and Hotels.com. The companies had hoped to continue the practice of collecting and remitting taxes to the state based on the lower rates that they negotiate with the hotels instead of the higher prices offered to consumers. Dan Noble, director of the Department of Revenue, has said such practices are depriving the state of thousands, if not millions, of dollars in lost revenues. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Wyoming lodging industry is responsible for 11,378 jobs and $332 million in wages. As of July 2013, there were 392 lodging properties across the state, comprised of 26,381 rooms. STR reports that total tax revenue generated by the state’s lodging industry in 2012 was $119.8 million. Read more over at WyomingNews.com.